The old and new are equally treasured by the people of Bengal, though many may argue about the dearth of new things Bengal can showcase to the world today. The old Howrah Bridge and Howrah Station next to the Bhagirathi (Ganga) river with boats and steamers crisscrossing belong to the old era. The siren and horns of the water vehicles as well as the trains and automotives resonate with the pilgrims’ chants on the ghats of Ganga. The new Vidyasagar Bridge gives a modern look to the landscape of this 300 year old city Kolkata which is the face of Bengal in many ways.
Tatas left Bengal with Nano. Lately this was the biggest news from Bengal, the most densely populated state in India. People were sad and angry. There were protests, violence and deaths. Many say thiswas the last blow to the power centre of Bengal, the Marxist government of over 3 decades.
Soon after Calcutta renamed itself to Kolkata, there is a wind of change in the political scene. Change is inevitable. Each change comes with losing some and getting some new. The empty unfinished structures of Tata Nano project in Singur casts long shadows of lost hopes and silent memories of the now quiet battlefields of Nandigram and other villages. Bengal is the birthplace of the Naxal movement which is occupying the front page of the newspapers almost on a daily basis. Though violence is unacceptable in a democracy, sympathisers are not hard to find. The oldest freedom fighter who gave life fighting the British, Smt Matangini Hazarawas from Midnapore, (literally the ‘City of the World’) has become the hotbed of the Naxal movement lately. The Gorkhaland movement has its ups and downs, but still kicking. Some inhabitants of Kolkata complain about the crowd, pollution and other problems; others boast of the New Town and the euphoric growth of the Real Estate developments in and around the city.
Some inhabitants of Kolkata complain about the crowd, pollution and other problems; others boast of the New Town and the euphoric growth of the Real Estate developments in and around the city.
There are many successful Bengalis around the world. If a proper environment, conducive to do business is created, it will draw in many people to do something big, perhaps more than the Gujarati or Bihari NRIs have done for their states; after all aren’t they supposed to be an emotional people?
It is obvious that an intelligent and forward thinking group’s tolerance cannot be infinite acceptance of the status quo. One can ask many questions to the current and future leadership, such as: Are the Jute and other factories which closed down for past few decades going to revive soon again? Are the investors going to go back to the state to build new things? Is Kolkata still going to be overpopulated or rest of the state may have the fortune to have one or more mega cities with modern infrastructure to create new opportunities for millions and taking pressure off Kolkata? Is the air quality going to be vastly improved? Would the daily strikes become matters of past? Would the exams be held on time in educational institutes? Would the exodus of Bengali intelligentsia stop? And finally, if change must come, would it cost any blood or will it be a simply non-violent democratic process, as most of India has been? In Indian democracy there is no place for privileges for any special interest group or community. One can only hope to have an efficient non-partisan government to manage the affairs of 9 crore people.
About 150 odd years ago Bengal gave birth to two of the greatest souls of modern India: Rabindranath and Vivekananda. Both were reformers and brought revolution in each of their sphere of work. Till today, Bengalis live on their fond memories. Bengali household cannot pass a day without singing or reciting from Tagore. Sri Chinmoy beautifully described the duo:
“Vivekananda was a torrent of fire. Tagore was a sea of beauty and delight. Vivekananda was a Clarion-call. Tagore was a soul-stirring Flute.”
The world yearns for such personalities to be born again.
